Quote:
The pure red Duroc breed originated in the Northeast. It was orginally a cross between 2 strains of red hogs, one developed in New Jersey, the other in New York. The New York breed was supposedly develped by a man who owned a noted stallion named Duroc and, hence, the name was given to his special hogs. The resulting cross of the 2 breeds was know as Duroc-Jersey but the Jersey was dropped to avoid confusion with the breed of cattle by the same name.
The Duroc breed is always red although the shade may vary from light to dark. They have floppy lop ears.
This breed is highly respected for aggressive, durable boars and productive, prolific females. It has been nicknamed "the growth breed" because the rugged, heavy boned, durable pigs grow to market weight faster than almost any other breed. Durocs adapt well to any environment.
End Quote.
I keep Duroc and Duroc/Large White crosses. I couldn't fault the last paragraph of the quote. If you have access to the breed, go for it. As for milking, I'll stick to cows thanks. Handmilking a sow is bloody hard work and I've only ever done it when I've had to feed sick piglets. I should imagine that any milking plant for a pig would cost an arm and a leg and the cost wouldn't be warranted for personal use. But to each their own.
Cheers,
Ronnie
) I've also found that home grown meat is delicious without any seasoning.
